One of the questions I love to ask people is, “What is the best day of your life?” I get many answers related to pleasant days people remember; like the day their child was born or they won an expensive prize. One day at the bank, I asked the teller that question and her answer was rejected by someone in the bank who yelled, “Wrong!” The teller wanted to know why her answer was wrong and the response was, “Because today is the best day of your life.”
The truth is, today is the only day you have, and what you decide to do with it is the issue. We can whine and make excuses, or we can appreciate the moment. I have discussed attitudes in earlier posts, and believe that attitudes are ultimately the last thing that we are capable of creating.
When we are unable to be creative or even experience things due to physical problems, we still can have an attitude which creates the day we are experiencing. So, a blind woman can say, “What a beautiful place.” And when asked, “How can you say that—you are blind and can’t see anything?” She responded, “I have a choice as to what I see.” And so do we all.
We can blame our past and the people in it. We can blame those presently in our lives for ruining it, or we can take responsibility for the day and enjoy it—because it is the only day we have. Since I know I am mortal and my time is limited, I don’t give my power away to others and let them decide if I am going to have a nice day.
I choose to spend a portion of each day examining what I am grateful for. I also confess my weaknesses and imperfections, and pray for those I love and care about and for my needs, too. I have learned that when I transcend material desires, and pray for the ability to be a divine messenger, my day is changed.
The son of man comes not to be served, but to serve, and to ransom his life for the good of the many. Do you buy that package, and are you willing to live that message today? If you are, it will always be the best day of your life. If you are waiting until you get what you want, then today will never become the best day of your life. And you will lose your life by letting others decide how you are to serve the world.
Exercises for Living in the Moment ~
- What would it take to make today your re-birthday?
- Decide what you will see today before you get out of bed and search until you find it.
- What can I pray for, for you today? Does your answer transcend personal desires?
- Who has decided how you are to serve the world? Is the answer “You” or “other authorities in your life”?
Decide whether to make today the best day of your life by changing your life or changing your attitude. The choice is yours. Both solutions work.
Peace,
Bernie